Hey guys. You might already know the passing has been released on every platform, though you’ll have to pony up for the Xbox version. Here’s my micro commentary/review…

So with the new DLC for Left for Dead 2 every thursday a special “mutation” will be announced for the next week. For the first go around we’ll see realism versus, which sounds like it’ll be a lot more fun for the zombies that for the survivors. There’s also an achievement tied to this, where you have to participate in so many of these mutations.

Kinda gimmicky. I mean, doesn’t it sound kind of like an official server hack? I recall when they first implemented the survival mode, which totally made sense. And they had the map to back up the mode. But this… Its interesting to compare the development and implementation of DLC in Left 4 Dead vs Team Fortress 2. Every time something is added to Team Fortress 2 it just seems so much more credible. Still, I can’t really say, it could be a ton of fun. Keep an eye out for the DLC coming this week, and the mutations every Thursday in the following weeks.

For everyone rabid for some more of the same zombie whackin’, you’ll be pleased to know that The Passing DLC for Left 4 Dead 2 will be released next week. For me personally, as an owner of Left 4 Dead 2, I’m only vaguely tickled by the news, the game seeming to exist on some other far off planet… You know what I mean? I might boot it up to see what its all about, but it might just get swept up in the undertow.

Also, the new episode will only feature 3 of the old survivors, which is slightly backwards to me. I mean, there is something to be said for innovation, but won’t that mean we’ll know which survivor died? I think the linear story arc hasn’t been worn out enough to warrant the revelation of the dead survivor before we see how they die. But perhaps I’m wrong.

Check out the original blog posting here, along with some pretty cool Valve game mashups.

You may not be surprised (especially ’cause you’ve probably already seen it) but the passing has been delayed to an ambiguous date of “spring” as revealed on the Xbox show, “Sentuamessage.” Besides wondering if that was an official show, my first reaction wasn’t really of overwhelming dissapointment. As I watched the footage of presumably more New Orleans streets spotted with the living dead, overturned cars, and four survivors sprawing bullets everywhere, I felt not even a twinge of excitement. Let me tell you that I’d probably accept a cage match for anyone that would begrudge Valve the title of one of the best game producers ever before I further my reflection of my non-reaction.

You see, to me, Left 4 Dead 2 represents a rarity in this day and age for me, if not the majority of folks, where game buying is hyper-informed. You and I don’t buy Crappy Castle Adventure because teh webz told us from two hundered sources that the crappy in the title applied to more than just the Castle that you visit in-game. I queried, and the collective gave me a green light. I even played the demo. But I played the game for like a week. Shame on me, you say, for buying a game that you didn’t end up caring about after so much research. Touche. A well earned touche. But I can still say something about the hindsight of all this…

Now I haven’t gotten the Left4Dead vs. Left4Dead2 debate up on this site yet, but already the tides are turning. Valve has been trying to fend off the naysayers with reports that they will still incorporate new content into the original game despite a sequel on the way. Well, here we go.